Donald Trump on Monday became the first sitting US president to visit
the Western Wall in the disputed city of Jerusalem, placing his hand on
one of the most sacred sites in Judaism, AFP reported.

The Western Wall is the holiest site
where Jews can pray. Trump, wearing a black skullcap, paused in front of
it, then placed what appeared to be a written prayer or note between
its stones, as is custom.

He was not accompanied by any Israeli leaders during the hugely symbolic visit.

Allowing them to do so could have led to
accusations that Washington was implicitly recognising Israel's
unilateral claim of sovereignty over the site, which would break with
years of US and international precedent.

Security was tight, with the usually
bustling Old City, where the Western Wall is located, essentially on
lockdown and the plaza leading to the site cleared.

Trump was accompanied by the Western Wall's rabbi, Shmuel Rabinovitz, during the visit.

Trump's daughter Ivanka, who converted
to Judaism and is married to one of the president's top aides, Jared
Kushner, also visited the women's side of the wall.

Trump, who is Protestant, is the first US president to have Jewish members of his immediate family.

Under strict interpretation of Jewish
law, men and women must pray separately there. The rule has been
repeatedly challenged by progressive Jewish movements seeking equal
prayer rights.

The Western Wall is the last remnant of
the supporting wall of the second Jewish temple, built by King Herod and
destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

It is situated below the Al-Aqsa mosque
compound, Islam's third-holiest site, referred to by Jews as the Temple
Mount and considered their holiest.

The visit to the Western Wall drew
controversy before Trump even left Washington, when US officials
declined to say whether it belonged to Israel.

The status of Jerusalem is ultra-sensitive and has been among the most difficult issues in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem, where
the Western Wall is located, and the West Bank in 1967 in moves never
recognised by the international community.

It later annexed east Jerusalem and
claims the entire city as its capital. The Palestinians see east
Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

The traditional US position has been that Jerusalem's status must be negotiated between the two sides.

Trump's visit to the wall came as part
of his first trip abroad as president. The trip includes stops at
important sites for Christians, Muslims and Jews.

The first leg of his trip was in Saudi Arabia, while later stops will include the Vatican.

Before visiting the Western Wall, Trump
toured the nearby Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built at the site where
Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.

A group of Christian Mexicans visiting
Jerusalem to see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre discussed ways to get
out of the Old City with Israeli police, after being told they could not
visit.

Mauricio Guerra, one of the group of
six, said he was "very disappointed" to not be able to visit the site as
he only had one day in the city.

"We have travelled here to see the church," he said on Monday morning.

"We as Mexicans have Trump as our
neighbour and now he is following us here as well," he laughed to AFP,
with Trump having pledged to build a wall between the United States and
Mexico during his campaign.